


A Tale of Two Hearts

by deathmarkedlove_archivist



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-01-29
Updated: 2007-01-29
Packaged: 2018-11-11 04:55:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 19,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11141442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deathmarkedlove_archivist/pseuds/deathmarkedlove_archivist
Summary: Answer to Isabelle's challenge at Crumbling Walls, Spike comes back with his soul and he and Buffy are promptly kidnapped. PG-13





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Hils, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Death-Marked Love](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Death-Marked_Love). To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in June 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [the Death-Marked Love collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/deathmarkedlove/profile).

Dark blue curtains blew softly as a cool breeze drifted through the open window. Buffy smiled as she surveyed her room, a bit of overtime at the Doublemeat had given her some extra money to redecorate with. Gone were the light colors of her old room replaced with a comforter of rich dark blue, hunter green and a bit of burgundy thrown in. The room was darker now but somehow more grown up - a reflection of Buffy, she took a moment to look at the new curtains, they were dark enough to keep out even the early morning sun.... not that she had reason to be thinking about that sort of thing anymore.

Bufy adjusted the long black duster over her jeans and tank top. It was early September and the nights were getting a bit cooler in Sunnydale. Buffy stared hard at her self in the mirror as she pulled her hair back into a ponytail. It had grown out quite a bit in the last four months, it was long just the way *he* liked it. Goldilocks - that's the name he had called her then, way back then when as complicated as things were, they still seemed somehow simple. She shook her head as if that would be enough to clear out all thoughts of him. Frowning at herself in the mirror one more time, she stuck one more stake in the deep pocket of the duster and headed out for patrol.

Lately patrol had been the time she had used to take her away from thoughts of her problems - such as a sister she had to face was growing up and needed to feel well - needed. And her friend and his romantic problems, his ex fiancee' now tentative girlfriend , her father figure gone back to England, and her best friend in Arizona trying to recover from a major breakdown.

Buffy had spent most of the summer alone. Dawn had accepted Hank's offer to spend the summer in LA, only after Buffy's promise of more self defense lessons and even a chance at patrol when she returned. To be honest as much as Buffy loved her sister, she needed some time alone. The event's of Spring had afforded her that, Willow had gone to her grandmothers in Arizona for the Summer to do some much needed emotional healing, Giles had put her in touch with someone to help with her *other* problem also, before he left for England. Xander was working out of town for the summer on a big construction job, he and Anya had semi patched things up, they were going slowly. Buffy did enjoy the once a week lunch with Anya, but oddly she seemed to really be enjoying her time alone, it gave her time to reflect on things, to try to figure out when everything had gone so wrong. It gave her time to think of him without feeling guilty about it. But Dawn would be home next week and things would go back to semi normal.

The sky was clear and the moon shone brightly as she walked the familiar path. She had forced herself to stay away from the crypt for the last month. Clem seemed to enjoy her company, but she was beginning to feel a bit of pity from him whenever she asked about Spike. He would smile and shake his head sadly as he told her, "no news" yet again. She didnt' want Clem's pity, she just wanted news of Spike and so far there had been none. She also realized that no matter how twisted things had become between she and Spike....that she missed him. She wanted another chance to talk to him, really talk to him. She wanted to set things straight.

*******

He ran the final steps to the crypt like a man coming home after having gone to war. "Clem!" He called out as he opened the door. There was no answer, Clem must be out, possibly playing his beloved kitten poker. Spike grinned as he noted the little bit of decorating that Clem had done in his abscence. A shelf held a collection of lunch boxes, Knight Rider, The A Team and The Dukes of Hazzard, some of Clem's favorites.

Spike climbed down to the lower level to check it out. He hadn't had much time to clean up there before things had fallen apart......before he had gone on his journey. Even after the explosion he could still catch her soft scent amongst the burned out rugs and bedclothes. Buffy, how do I begin to tell you....everything? He closed his eyes and could see her blond hair shining, green eyes full of warmth, his very own sunbeam.

********

The crypt was dark as she lightly knocked on the door and opened it slightly, calling "Clem." There was no answer as she entered the crypt and lit a small candle. He wouldn't mind if she sat here for a few minutes, if she really tried she could almost believe Spike was there, on the lower level just waiting to come up and make a sarcastic remark, or maybe he would want to take her below and make other more gentle remarks. She shivered slightly at the thought of his touch. Not good, Buffy - she thought as she leaned back and closed her eyes.

********

Spike started upstairs at the sound of someone entering the crypt. Clem must have made an early night of it, "Clem!", he called as he climbed the ladder.

Buffy stood up at the sound of some one on the ladder and also called out, "Clem!"

Spike reached the top level and stared at the beautiful blond standing there - standing there in his old duster.

"Spike?" She asked her eyes wide with shock, the hair was the same, same cheekbones, but his clothing was totally unSpike. Blue jeans and a plain white button down shirt were his attire now. She had to admit it looked good on him.

"Buffy?" He responded equally shocked. Oh, that was smooth, mate. Haven't seen her for months, have a shiny new soul and I can only say her name and look like a fish with my mouth wide open.

"You're back, well obviously you're back or you wouldn't be here. So, yeah you're back, ummm... when?" She was rambling, she was cute when she rambled he had to smile despite his fear of rejection.

I'm rambling, hush Buffy, it's just that he looks so different. He's really here!

The fact that she had not yet pulled a stake on him gave him a bit of hope and courage, "Just got back tonight. Uh...I need to tell you some news, " He looked around the crypt and suddenly it seemed to dark and dank to break his news to her, he took a chance, "Buffy, would you like to go get a coffee?"

Coffee? He wants to get coffee? Buffy pondered the question for several minutes, her brain said, don't trust him you don't know what he's been doing, the heart side argued that he was being very polite, she had missed him and she did want to hear his story. The brain tried one more time to say convince her she would be sorry, but her heart won out - it was full of slayer strength. "Yes, I would like some coffee." She finally got out the words.

Spike sighed with relief he had thought that maybe she was going to turn him down. "Let's go then." He almost offered her his arm, but thought better of it, he was not going to push. He felt lucky that she had even spoke to him, he tried not to think about what her being in the crypt implied? Was she that close to Clem? Nah. Could she possibly have missed him? And why was she wearing his duster?

"So whats this news you have to tell me?" She asked as they walked towards the coffee shop.

"Let's wait till we get there and I'll tell you everything." He smiled at her as they walked towards down the shop taking a shortcut through the alley. Neither realized they were being watched.

***

"He's not alone, sir."

"No, he's not, I should have known. Buffy Summers has been a thorn in my side every since she was called. It would have been much easier if she had stayed dead."

"What should we do, sir?"

Quentin Travers drummed his fingers on the dashboard of the van, "Take her down too."

"Are you sure we can.........take her?" The other man asked a hint of fear in his voice, he'd heard tales of what Buffy was capable of.

"I'm always prepared, James." Travers smiled as he pulled a brief case from under his seat, opening it, he displayed a tranquilizer gun with several vials safely cushioned in the case, "This will take down the vamp and also the slayer. She won't wake up until we are long gone."

James nodded his head and took the case from his boss. He carefully loaded the gun and exited the van, Traver's followed him at a safe distance.

"Did you hear something?" Buffy stopped suddenly in the alley.

"I think so, but maybe it's just a cat?" Spike asked, he did not want to be interrupted by slaying tonight.

"I don't think........" Buffy turned around, she was hit by something sharp in her shoulder, she sank to the ground, the last thing she heard was Spike calling out her name.

"Buffy....Buffy!" Spike's sank down beside Buffy even as he scanned the alley, he saw no one. "Buffy, luv, whats wrong?" He gently lifted her against him, thats when he noticed the dart in her back, "What the........." His sentence was never finished as James ducked from his hiding place and placed his second shot. Spike's prone body sprawled on the ground still holding Buffy against him.

Travers caught up to James as the man stood over the unconcious vampire and vampire Slayer. "He was trying to protect her I think, why?" James turned to Travers.

"That's just one of the things I intend to find out about William the Bloody." Travers leaned forward and knelt beside the couple, "Help me with the vampire." Travers and James carried Spike to the van and handcuffed his wrists and ankles.

Travers turned and started back down the alley, "Where are you going sir?" James asked not sure he wanted to be left alone in the van with a vampire, unconcious or not.

"I'm going to get the girl." Travers nodded his head and smiled.

James looked confused as he watched Travers picking up Buffy from the alley and bring her back to the van. "I thought she wasn't part of the plan."

"The plan has changed." Travers told him as he found more restraints for her arms and legs.


	2. Chapter 2

James Carstairs started the van and drove towards the house Mr. Travers had acquired for them in Sunnydale. He glanced in the mirror at the back of the van and what he saw made him very uncomfortable.

Quentin Travers knelt between Buffy and Spike's unconcious forms. He ran one hand over Buffy's cheek, "She's quite lovely isn't she?" Quentin asked when he caught James eye in the rearview mirror.

"Yes sir, she is." James agreed hesitantly. Mr. Travers was paying him well and he needed the money if he and Maralee ever wanted to be together. He told himself that he shouldn't care what happened to the rebellious Slayer, Travers had explained that she had made fools of the Council more then once and often consorted with her mortal enemy. And as for the vampire, from what he knew about them, they were meant to be staked not studied or dallied with, as the Slayer had been known to do.

"You'll take the vampire and I'll take the slayer." Quentin told James as the van pulled into the garage of what looked like and ordinary home only two streets over from Revello Drive. But like most things in Sunnydale, looks can be deceiving and hide things - bad things.James closed the garage door and locked it, he then drug Spike from the van and unlocked a door at the back of the garage. He half carried, half drug the vampire down several steps into a very modified basement.

Quentin followed him carrying Buffy down the steps carefully. He didn't want her to know that he was involved in this situation. There were three cells in the basement, one was a regular cell with bars, a cot and small toilet in the corner. Quentin smiled as he lay Buffy on the cot. He hadn't expected to need the plumbing facilities in the cells but they now worked to his advantage. He ran his hand through Buffy's hair and left to help James.

The other two cells were soundproofed and equipped with cots and toilets also. They were cement on all sides with a small door that could be opened in the heavy door on the front of the cell for passage of food.

"Put him in here on the floor for now. I want to see how they react with each other first, before I separate them." Quentin instructed. James dropped Spike on to the hard cement floor. "We need to go into the other room now, they can't see me."

The two men made themselves comfortable in two chairs that sat in front of a console with three monitors situated on it. The screens showed to empty cells and the third which held Buffy and Spike. Spike began to move first, slowly opening his eyes and looking around the cell, as soon as his eyes fell on Buffy, his movements became quicker, within a few seconds he was at her side, her hand in his, rubbing her cheeks, calling her name.

"Buffy, Buffy, luv. Wake up." He continued calling her name. "Please pet." He looked around the cell as he continued to talk to her and try to rouse her. Where the hell were they?

After several minutes, Buffy's eye's fluttered open, "Spike?" She croaked out, her mouth felt like she had swallowed a handfull of cotton balls. Spike helped her to sit up on the cot.

"You okay?" Spike sat down beside her on the cot.

"Umm... I think so, just thirsty." She looked around the bareness of the cell, "Where are we?"

"I'm not sure. All I remember is being in the alley, you heard something, went down and I saw the dart in your back and then I felt a sting and....here we are." Spike explained as he watched her stand and walk towards the bars.

Buffy was testing the bars with both hands, "They don't look that strong, together we should be able to get out of here." She looked back at Spike with a smile.

Spike walked over to the bars and tested them, "You're right but this can't be that easy."

"Maybe we have stupid kidnappers?" Buffy grinned at him as she took a bar in each hand, Spike put his hands over Buffy's on the same bars and they began to pull - they could just feel the bars giving when they were both thrown back against the wall of the cell.

"What the?" Buffy asked as she rubbed the back of her head.

"Electric shock, I think." Spike answered as he rubbed the bump on his own head.

***

"There that will keep them in there for tonight anyway." Quentin smiled at James, "After a few days we won't need the electric shock,the drug that I mixed with the tranquilizer will weaken them both, after a few more doses mixed with their food."

"Sir, do you want me to get their food for them now?" James stood to go to the kitchen.

"Actually I'd like Maralee to take them their dinners." Quentin unlocked a drawer and handed James a vial, "Make sure to pour three drops of this into thier food, it's tasteless."

"Sir, do you think it's safe for Maralee to do this alone?" James asked wincing at the thought of the young woman alone with the captives.

"You would do well to let me worry about my neice's safety, James." Quentin told him pointedly as he closed the drawer and locked it.

"Yes sir." James took the vial and walked upstairs to the kitchen.

"James, you are back! I thought I heard the van." The pretty dark haired girl ran to greet him.

"Yes we're back." James frowned.

"What's wrong?" She asked as she wiped her hands on a dishtowel, "Did you get the vampire?"

"Yes, we got him........and the slayer Buffy Summer's too."

"Buffy Summers, why?" Maralee asked confusion showing in her pretty brown eyes.

"She was with the vampire, and your Uncle decided to take her too." James sat down at the small dining table.

"I don't understand, this was just supposed to be the vampire." Maralee sat down across from him and reached across the table, placing her hand on top of his.

"I have a bad feeling about this Maralee. Your uncle would like for you to take them supper. I'm too add three drops of this," He held up the vial, "to their meals."

"What does it do?" Maralee asked frowning.

"It's only to take away their strength, to weaken them where we don't have to worry about escape."

"I don't think I like this either, James." Maralee stood and walked to the refrigerator, pulling out the makings of a salad and a packet of blood, "Buffy Summer's has a family and friends, my father told me about her before he died. And for all the bad things Uncle Quention says about her, I think there is much more too it. As for the vampire, he represents what killed my father ....." She began to prepare a chef salad in a large bowl. James poured the drug into the salad and then into the large glass of blood on the tray next to it.

"I know, Maralee. I know how terrible that was for you and to never be able to give him a proper burial." James pulled the girl close to him.

"Uncle Quentin said there was nothing left when they got to him." Maralee wiped away a tear as she readied herself to go feed the Slayer and the vampire.

"Just push the tray through the bars. We'll be watching on the monitor if anything goes wrong." James kissed her forehead and watched her balance the tray as she walked down the steps.

***

"So any ideas why we are here?" Buffy chewed on her bottom lip as she paced in front of Spike sitting on the cot.

"Only one, I was thinking maybe you've ticked someone off?" Spike shrugged.

"Me? Why would you think...?" Buffy asked irritation in her voice.

"Hmmmm.....slayer - lots of enemies?" Spike gave her a half smile.

"Oh...well actually it's been pretty slow lately. I can't imagine who would be after me, unless it's someone after my glamourous job at the Doublemeat." She sighed as she sat down by him.

"So - no new big bads?"

Buffy shook her head, "Nope."

"Your're still working at that grease trap?" Spike asked rolling his eyes at her.

"Well, yes Spike. Food, water, gas all have to be paid for." She stood up again and glared at him, "Anyway thats not exactly what is important now, we need to find out who is behind this!" She raised her arms and motioned to the bars.

***

Maralee cautiously walked towards the cell.

"Hey!" Buffy called out as the girl began to pass the tray through the small door in the bars.

"I brought you some food." Maralee told her nervously.

"Who are you? Where are we?" Buffy shouted at the girl on the other side of the bars.

Maralee took several steps back, "I can't tell you anything! I don't know."

Spike stepped forward, and put his hand on Buffy's back, "Scaring her won't help, pet."

Buffy stepped up to the bars, "I'm sorry I yelled at you. It's just that I don't know why I'm here. And you can surely understand why I'm upset."

Maralee nodded at the petite blond, she was as pretty as her father had described her. "I know you are upset, but I really can't tell you anything. I'm just suppose to bring food."

"Thank you for the food, but I really need some answers." Buffy smiled at Maralee.

"Is there someone we can talk to who has answers?" Spike asked from behind Buffy.

Maralee glared at him, "I won't speak to your kind. You killed my father."

"I haven't killed anyone in a very long time." Spike replied soflty as he approached the bars.

"I know it wasn't you personally that killed him, but it was your kind. My poor father, he was only trying to help and he died for it." She spit the words out at him before she ran out of the room.

Buffy watched as Spike sat down on the cot, his face was the picture of despair. It was as if he really cared about this girls pain, she knew Spike was quite capable of caring, he had shown it many times towards herself, her mother, Dawn, even her Xander on the rare occasion, but she'd never seen it towards a complete stranger before. "Are you okay?" She asked sitting beside him once again.

"I'm fine." Spike lied as he studied the blanket on the cot intently, "You better eat somethng, keep up your strength." This was not the time to go into the story of his new soul.

"Okay, but you need to eat too." Buffy told him as she picked up the glass of blood and handed it to him.

He looked at the blood in the glass and almost gagged, that girl was right, it had been his "kind" that killed her father, he once killed people for their blood, for his food. He had learned early after receiving his soul how easy it was to brood over things he had done, he had made a choice to accept his past and try to move on to a better future. Occasionally though, something would bring the guilt to the surface and make him think about it, the girl who had brought the food had done just that.

Buffy glanced up from her salad and smiled wearily at him. He smiled back , he had wanted his soul so he could attempt to be worthy of her, so this bit of guilt was worth that. He drank his blood like a good vampire, no need to add his brooding to her worries.

Buffy finished her last sip of water and placed the salad bowl and two glasses by the bars. "So who do you think she is?"

"I don't know Buffy, but I have a feeling she's telling the truth she really doesn't know the whole story here. I have a feeling whoever is behind this will show soon." He stood up from the cot, "Here you look tired, take the cot."

Buffy covered a yawn with her hand, "Are you sure?" She asked as she lay down and fluffed the small pillow.

"Yeah, I'll stay up for awhile, keep watch." Spike turned to face the bars.

"Spike." She called sleepily.

He turned to her, "Yes."

"There's room for two, you can keep watch from here." She scooted closer to the wall and patted the cot beside her.

"Are you sure?" He asked soflty.

"I'm sure. You'll keep me awake with all of that pacing." She grinned at him as she pulled the covers up over them and turned to face the wall. He slipped in to the cot beside her and pressed his back to hers, a soft voice behind him whispered, "Goodnight, Spike.

Despite their desperate situation, he smiled, "Goodnight, Buffy." Then he made a silent promise to get her out of this mess.


	3. Chapter 3

Spike watched as Buffy slept, sometime during the night she had turned and casually lay her arm across his waist. He hadn't moved since not wanting to wake her. He stared at the arm across his waist, tan and small wristed, the delicate appearance hid such strength, his duster had hung on her the sleeves too long for these small arms.

He glanced at the duster folded neatly and sitting in the floor next to the cot. Spike had wanted to ask her why she had kept it, why she had worn it? As much as he wanted answers to these questions, he realized his priority at the moment was to keep Buffy safe until they could get out of this mess.

According to the watch on Buffy's wrist it was 6:15. He wondered when Dawn would miss Buffy? Would she have any clue where Buffy had gone last night? Buffy moved again, this time opening one eye to look at who was in her bed. She quickly took her arm from his waist and sat up on the cot looking at Spike and then around at the cell, "It wasn't a bad dream, huh?"

"Wish it were, pet." Spike answered as he sat up next to her, "And no clues through the night either, our host has yet to show himself or possibly herself."

"Come on out you coward!" Buffy shouted as she rolled off of the cot over Spike and stood in the middle of the cell. She walked to the bars and hesitantly shook them remembering the electric shock, nothing happened.

"Buffy, I'm not sure taunting your captor is the way to go." Spike stood up and walked over to her, putting his hand on her shoulder.

"So we just wait here?" Buffy asked angrily.

"For now, yes." Spike answered softly.

"Since when did you become patience guy?" Buffy rolled her eyes at him.

"I can be patient if I have to be." Spike shook his head at her and sat down once again.

****

"That was quite interesting, she let the vampire lie on the cot beside her. She seems to trust him." Traver's watched Buffy shaking the bars and then the calming affect that Spike had on her.

"I still don't understand what this whole experiment is about, sir." James sighed from the chair beside Travers.

"You don't have to understand, James. Just do as your told." Travers turned back to the screen, "Have Maralee take them their breakfast, don't forget the drug. When they finish, we will separate them."

"Yes sir. Won't it be dangerous to open the cell?" James frowned.

"By then they will be considerably weaker." Travers explained.

**

"Maralee, your Uncle would like for you to take them breakfast."

"Okay, just give me a few minutes." She told him as she pulled eggs from the refrigerator. "How did they do through the night?"

"Okay, nothing special happened. She fell asleep and he kept watch over her most of the night." James told he as he poured himself a cup of coffee, "It's odd...I think they care for each other." He shook his head as she placed the plate with scrambled eggs, toast, an orange with coffee and juice on a tray and then poured more blood into a mug. He quickly added the drug to the meals and kissed Maralee's cheek, "Be careful."

She nodded her head and carried the tray down the steps to the cell room. She could hear them talking quietly as she walked to the barred door.

"So won't Dawn be up and worried about where you are? Surely Willow, Tara and Xander will send out a search party for you?" Spike was asking Buffy as Maralee sat the tray down.

"Spike, it's different now, Dawn is in LA until next week, she's with dad and is due home the weekend before school starts." Buffy noticed Maralee as she sat down the tray, "Hello," She said softly, "Umm.. that looks good."

"Thank you, I wasn't sure what you ate for breakfast." Maralee gave a shy half smile.

"I guess I'm not so hard to cook for?" Spike quippped from behind Buffy. Maralee only glared at him.

Buffy turned to Spike and raised her eyebrows at him hoping he would take the hint to be quiet, he did. "My name is Buffy and that is Spike. It looks like we're going to be here awhile, so maybe we should introduce ourselves.:

"I know who you are." Maralee told her not meeting Buffy's eyes, "You are Buffy Summers."

"Wow, then you are one up on me, who are you?"

"My name is Maralee and thats all I can tell you, enjoy your meal." She quickly left the room leavning Buffy and Spike alone once more.

"This is so frustrating!" Buffy grumbled as she pulled the tray all the way through the door. She handed Spike his mug and nibbled at her toast.

"Back to what I was saying, Buffy. The Scoobs will miss you, they'll track you down somehow. Even if Dawn isn't here right now." Spike took a sip from his mug.

"Spike it's not the same as before you left, Willow, she went over the edge after Tara was.....oh...you don't know." Buffy sat down her coffee mug and put her hand over her mouth, this was still hard to talk about.

"Know what, pet?" He asked fear nudging at him.

"Warren, he came to the house and he shot me.......and then a shot caught Tara and she didnt' make it." Buffy's lip was trembling now, "Willow went crazy with the magic."

"You were shot?" Spike stood up off the cot.

"Yes, but Willow came to the hospital and she took the bullet out with magic. I would be dead now if she hadn't." Buffy shuddered at the memory.

"Dead, I leave and you end up nearly dead again." Spike was suddenly hugging her tightly against him. "I couldn't have beared it again, if I had come back to find........"

Buffy pulled away from him, "It's okay, I'm okay. But Willow wasn't, she..." Buffy told him the whole sordid story as they ate their breakfast, "So that's why, I'm not sure anyone will be looking for me,,,wait Anya.. we' ve been having lunch every week."

"Anya? How is she?" Spike asked with a guilty look.

"She's better. She and Xander are somewhat together again. She might tell Xander if she can't get hold of me." Buffy sighed as she finished the last of her eggs. "Now it's your turn, where have you been? And what is the news you needed to tell me."

"Well, it's a long story luv, it starts after I left your house that ...that last night. Buffy I am so sorry about that night, if I could take it back, I would." Spike lowered his eyes from her and sighed.

"Let's not talk about it now, we can get into that later. Now from there where did you go?"

Spike couldn't believe what he was hearing, she wasn't angry just matter of fact about it, they would discuss it later. Looking up at her again, he answered, "Africa, I went to Africa."

"What's in Africa?" Buffy asked curiously.

"Well thats where the story gets complicated, " Spike smiled at her, "You see there was this ..........." He never got to finish his story as another tranquilizer dart hit him in the chest and he slumped down on the floor beside Buffy.

"Spike," She shouted kneeling beside him, she turned towards the bars she saw James with the gun, "What did you do to him?"

"He's not hurt, Miss, just sleeping. You have to come with me now." James cautiously unlocked the cell door.

"I don't think so." Buffy took a fighting stance.

"Yes mam' and it will be easier if you don't fight me." James really didn't want to fight with the girl standing in front of him. He hoped Quentin was right about the drugs effects.

"Easier on you maybe." Buffy charged at him, but he quickly subdued her and held her tight against him, she struggled against him but could not break free of his grasp.

"What?" Buffy was confused she had taken down much larger men then James, she realized then that something was very wrong.

"Please Miss." James carried her arms locked around her to one of the cement cells, he opened the door and shoved her in quickly locking it behind him.

Spike was still out cold when James dragged him into the other cement cell. He doublechecked the locks on both doors and went to find Quentin.

****

Buffy looked around her new cell slightly panicked. Something was wrong with her, her strength , it was like when she had turned 18, when Giles had drugged her for the Council. The Council,,,,,could they be part of this? But why? She stared at the four cement walls, the only connection to the outside was a small door in the heavy metal door, she supposed that was for food. She pounded on the walls, and screamed "Spike!!!" Maybe he could hear her, she needed to know he was okay.

Spike sat up groggily, he could hear someone faintly calling his name. As he sat up he realized he had been moved and Buffy was gone. As his head cleared his vampiric hearing could hear the voice more clearly, it was Buffy and she was calling his name. He went to stand by the wall where the voice was coming from, he called back, "Buffy! Buffy!"

Buffy continued to call his name, "Spike, Spike! Please answer me." It was no use, he couldn't hear her, she didn't know where she was, where he was, her strength was fading. She finally sat down on the cot and let the tears come.

Spike continued to call her name, but it was no use, she couldn't hear him. He fnally heard her call his name one more time, then shortly after he heard soft sobbing. Slumped against the wall he placed his hand against the wall, "I hear you, Buffy. I hear you, baby."


	4. Chapter 4

Spike stayed close against the cold wall listening to Buffy cry for nearly an hour, the sobs slowed down to hiccups and then her breathing evened out and he realized she had cried herself to sleep. How were they going to get out of here?

"It's time to go visit the vampire." Quentin stood up from his chair, "You follow me with the gun just in case."

"Will the drug work as well on the vampire as it has the Slayer?" James asked as he walked behind Travers to Spike's cell.

"It should, but I'm not sure if it works as quickly, hence the backup." Travers unlocked the cell door, Spike took full advantage and leaped on his back. Travers shook him off and kicked Spike in the chest. Spike was as shocked as Buffy had been when he realized his strength was weakening. "Now, we can bring the gun in and drug you again, or you can behave."

"Who are you? Where is Buffy?" Spike demanded as he stood up, wincing slightly at the pain in his chest where Travers had kicked him.

"I am from the Council, Mr., I'm sorry which do you prefer Spike or William?"

"Doesn't really matter what you call me does it? And I should have known it was the Council behind this, what do you want with Buffy? Hasn't the girl given up enough for you lot?" Spike stepped right up to Travers and got in his face, "If you've hurt her."

Quentin Travers took one look at the angry vampire in front of him and smiled, "You'll do what? As you can no doubt tell, your strengh is being drained, the same is true of Buffy's. You are in no position to threaten me."

Spike stepped back and tried to calm himself, thinking of Buffy. "What are you going to do with her?"

"I'm not sure, William. You see, I didn't really want Miss Summers, I was more interested in you." Travers smile broadened as he watch Spike take in this bit of information.

"Me? Why?"

"You are an interesting case, you seem to care for the Slayer. Willing to risk your life for her, yet you left her for the entire summer. Left her in a lurch, I'm sure she could have used your help with the witch." Travers watched as a look of...could that have been guilt? washed over Spike's face.

"I had to go." Spike replied softly.

" And now you're back. I've always been under the notion that vampires were fairly black and white, my late brother disagreed thinking that there was a lot of grey areas in there. His views were causing controversy in the Council. Now I have my very own specimen of a so called "grey" vampire to study." Travers sat down on the cot.

"So you want to study me? Find out what makes me tick? Fine - but let Buffy go. You said yourself you didn't want her." Spike tried not to sound anxious, "She can be a real pain, trust me. It'll be easier to let her go."

" As for Ms. Summers being a .....pain as you put it, I'm quite aware of that. But, I think I'll keep her for at least a little while." Traver's voice was menacing as he finished his sentence. "We'll start later today." Walking past Spike he locked the door behind him.

***

Maralee brought lunch to Buffy and found her sitting on the cot, knees drawn up to her chest. "Is Spike okay?"

"Pardon me for asking, but why do you care? He is a vampire, you are the Slayer? It makes no sense to me." Maralee asked shyly.

"No, it doesn't make any sense, " Buffy smiled at her, "But I do care and I need to know."

"Yes, he's fine. I have blood for him too."

"I didn't always care. In fact I spent a good amount of time trying to dust him." Buffy shook her head at the memories of fighting with Spike.

"How did it come to this then?" Maralee was very curious.

"That's a very long story." Buffy picked up the sandwich and looked suspiciously at it, "You're drugging my food aren't you?"

"No, I'm not." Maralee answered, she convinced herself it wasn't a lie because she didn't actually put the drug in the food.

Buffy frowned at her and shoved the food back at the girl, "Who is behind this?"

"I can't tell you. Please eat." Maralee pushed the plate back towards Buffy.

"No thank you. I'm not hungry." Buffy replied stubbornly.

Maralee sighed and took the plate, "I would really like to understand why you can care for that monster if you wouldn't mind explaining it to me. See my father thought that not all vampires were alike that there were some who could feel for whatever reason. His research ended up getting him killed."

"I'm sorry about your father. I lost my mother recently, it's...it's very hard." Buffy sighed as she sat down on the cot, "I'll try to explain but it's probably better to start at the beginning. When my parents divorced my mother and sister and I moved to Sunnydale. I had already been called but I was hoping that with the move I could forget the slaying. It had caused so much trouble in my life already."

Maralee sat the plate down on the floor and leaned against the door to listen better. Buffy watched as the girl listened to her tell about meeting Giles and the Scoobies. Maybe if she gained this girls trust and could make her understand she could be an ally?

"And he was so dark and mysterious, and I think I was almost in love with him by the time he helped me fight off the three. He was hurt and I took him home and bandaged him and he stayed in my room that night." Buffy smiled at the long ago memory.

"He stayed in your room?" Maralee's eyes widened.

"Oh, on the floor. Nothing happened....that night." Buffy grinned at the girl, "That's another part of the story."

"I had better go back before my uncle misses me.You'll tell me the rest of the story next time, okay?" Maralee gave Buffy a genuine smile.

"Yes, next time. And when you see Spike ...tell him I'm okay."

"I will, would you please change your mind about eating?" Maralee asked before picking up the plate holding the uneaten sandwich.

"No, but I will take the juice." Buffy compromised.

Maralee handed her the glass of juice through the door before she shut and locked it.

**

After Travers left, Spike went back to his post of listening for Buffy, he could hear her talking to the girl Maralee, she had asked her to please tell him that she was okay. But why wasn't Buffy eating, she was going to need to eat if her strength was slipping like his was.

She walked to the cell door next door and unlocked the small door, "Here is your blood."

Spike walked quickly to the door, "You've seen Buffy?"

"Yes, and she says to tell you she is okay." Maralee stepped back and started to close the door.

"Tell her I'm okay too and that she needs to eat." Spike sighed as the little door was completely closed.

He looked at the mug of blood sitting on the floor and suddenly he knew how Buffy felt, he had no appetite either. He could hear the scuffing of Buffy's shoes on the cement floor, she was pacing. If only she could hear him.

"So William. Are you ready for a few tests?" Quentin asked as he entered the cell with hand and ankle cuffs. James stood with a tazer gun while Travers restrained Spike. "Let's go."

Spike was taken to another room, "I'd like to test your healing powers first, I realize they may be a little slow now but I should still be able to get an idea."

Travers balled up his fist and hit Spike in the face busting his lip. Spike's head flung back and hit the wall, he made no sound, he wouldn't give this man the satisfaction. "That would be the natural wound, lets see how that heals in comparison to an enhanced wound."

James silently handed the bottle of holy water over to Travers. The older man opened the bottle and rolling up Spike's shirt sleeve dribbled the water down his exposed arm. Spike bit his tongue to keep from shouting out, the water sizzled and blistered as it rolled down the arm and off of his fingertips. "This is the enhanced wound, I'll check later to compare the healing rate. Meanwhile, I'd like for you to answer some questions."

James watched as the vampire sat through what must be agony, large blisters appeared up and down his arm. He wasn't sure he had the stomach for this, even if it was a vampire.

Spike listened as Travers grilled him about Angelus, Darla and Dru. He answered the questions in his normal smart ass way and ended up with several more bruises for his trouble. Travers wanted to know why he stayed with Druscilla for over a hundred years and then left her? Spike was afraid to tell him the full extent of his feelings for Buffy.......afraid he would use them against him, against Buffy.

"We're done now, James take him back."

"Yes sir." James hauled Spike up from the floor and drug him back to his cell, Spike attempted to trip James up but in his weakened state James quickly had the best of him again. He unlocked the cell door and sat Spike on the cot, "I'm going to unlock these restraints. Please don't make me regret it." James told Spike as he unlocked the hand and ankle cuffs. "You do care for the Slayer, don't you? I don't know the whole story but I can tell."

"She's a good fighter, my worthiest opponent." Spike told him as he looked at his wrist, the water had run under the cuff and cause several large blisters that had been rubbed open and now left raw spots on his skin. It hurt more then he would ever admit.

"I think it's more then that." James gave Spike a tentative smile, "I love someone, I think I can see that in you. I'm not sure how, after all your a vampire!"

"True and someone like me could never love right? Ask Travers about Drusilla, we were together over a hundred years. I know about love." Spike sighed and closed his eyes, he just wanted to lie down and sleep for the next week.

"I heard you talk about Druscilla to Quentin, but it was what you didn't say that convinced me that you love the Slayer. You carefully avoided questions about her, you don't want him to know just how much you care."

"So I guess you'll run tell the boss man your theory now?" Spike asked accusingly.

"No, I don't think I will. I'm not sure what all this about, I think it's best to keep my opinions to myself." James turned and walked out lockng the door once again.

*****

On the fourth day of their captivity, it rained and rained and rained. Buffy's cell seemed to have a leak, dirty water pooled in the floor, Maralee gave her towels to sop up the water but it still left the cell damp and dank.

Spike had endured yet another day of torture, this time Quentin Travers decided to compare holy water to flames, he had burns on both legs now. After Traver's asked more questions. Spike felt sure he had a hidden agenda that was nothing to do with his so called experiments.

*****

Anya knocked at the door of the Summer's residence. There was no answer, she was now officially worried. Buffy had not answered her calls in the past two days and surely she was not out patrolling in this rain. She knocked once more on the front door, still no answer, she raised her umbrella and walked to the backdoor, she tried to peek in but the kitchen was dark. She would call Xander tonight, she could feel it, something was wrong.

In LA, Dawn Summers had the same feeling, she'd left two messages for her sister to call her. Hank was bringing her home Friday instead of Saturday. It was unlike Buffy to not return her calls.

*****

The next day, Quentin Travers decided on a new type of torture. He turned the heat up in the cells until Buffy was sweating profusely and on the verge of dehydration. Then turned the air up until it was so cold that she was wrapped tightly in the thin blanket from her cot. He opened the small door on Spike's cell and peeked in. Spike's burns were finally healing a bit, he had torn his pants legs and rolled them up so they didn't irritate his legs. "So William how are you today?"

"I'm fine, Travers. Vampire remember? Temperature doesn't really affect me." Spike replied nonchalantly not bothering to look at his tormenter.

"Hmm.....I guess that's true. But the poor slayer isn't quite that fortunate." Traver's closed the door with a smirk.

"Buffy! What have you done to her?" Spike pounded on the door to no avail.

Buffy sat in her cell shivering, Maralee had finally convinced her to drink some hot chocolate and to eat something. As she finished the cocoa the cell warmed up to a reasonable temperature.

Spike listened carefully to Buffy's cell, he could hear her moving around and she had thanked Maralee for cocoa, she must be okay for now anyway. Maralee dropped off his blood and assured him that Buffy was okay, it was the same everyday. No matter how hurt he was, he asked about Buffy first thing.

As she walked away from the cell she thought about the interesting tale Buffy had been telling her. So far Spike had arrived in Sunnydale with the love of his life Druscilla and was ready to kill Buffy. That's where Buffy had stopped the story today, she had been shivering so badly from the cold cell that her teeth were chattering. Maralee could not believe that the vampire in that cell was the same one she had described earlier. And as for Druscilla being the love of his life, she was doubting that too.

****

Buffy woke up early the next morning. She was stuffed up and could feel a cold coming on. She sneezed twice and wiped her nose on some scratchy toilet tissue. The temperature was comfortable now but the cell was still damp from the rain. She began to count back how many days they had been here. "Six, I think it's six." She said aloud to the empty cell. She needed a way to record it, maybe Maralee could bring her some paper and a pen?

Spike turned over in his cot and groaned, his burns while healing were still quite tender and the rough sheets only irritated them. He could not imagine what new torture today would bring. He rolled over closely to the wall again and put his ear to it, it was his morning ritual listening to Buffy. He heard her stirring and speaking to Maralee. She was going to start her story again, he'd only heard bits and pieces of it so far. He frowned as Buffy sneezed loudly and began to talk.

"So Angel warned us that Spike would not stop until I was dead. He had killed two slayers before me." Buffy took a sip of coffee and wiped at her nose.

"Two Slayers. I'm really confused now, I can tell that he cares for you now , so how?" Maralee asked totally enthralled with the story.

"So he decides to give Dru this gift of this demon called the Judge. And he's in pieces that have to be put together so we are trying to keep the pieces separated." Buffy stopped to sneeze again.

"Bless you." Maralee smiled at her.

"Thanks, anyway it was my birthday and we have one piece of the Judge and we decide Angel is the only one who can get rid of it." Buffy sighed, "So he takes it and we go to the docks to say goodbye."

"He had to leave on your birthday?" Maralee shook her head, "Thats so sad."

"It gets worse." Buffy closed her eyes at the memory, "We lost the arm to one of Spike's minions"

Spike closed his eyes at the memory, he remembered feeling like he was on the top of the world when they retrieved that arm. The world came tumbling back on top of him as usual though, his throat was tight as he remembered how close the judge came to taking Buffy that night, then she and Angel had escaped and well the rest was really bad history. He hated that he had ever been a part of that, but at the same time realized the past was past. He was going to do everything he could to keep Buffy safe now..........right you're doing a bang up job of that, he felt miserable and helpless.

He turned his ear to Buffy again, "So it was pouring rain and we went back to his place and ..........and....that night we made love. And in the morning we found we had created a monster, Angelus was back." Buffy's eyes held unshed tears, "I think thats enough for now."

"Alright, but you will tell me the rest later?"

"Yes. Maralee could you please bring me some paper and a pen. It gets so boring just sittng here." Buffy pleaded soflty.

"Yes, with your lunch, I can do that." Maralee turned to leave.

"And tell Spike I'm okay." Buffy called after her.

Maralee opened the small door to Spike's cell, she almost couldn't bear to look at him, his face was bruised and his legs were horrible. The blisters had burst and the skin was raw and it looked like they had bled in places. She tried not to think about the cruelty her Uncle was capable of. Yes Spike was a vampire but she was beginning to think that her father was right, maybe not all vampires are alike? "Here is your breakfast and Buffy says to tell you she's okay."

"She's really okay?" Spike hobbled over to the door.

"Well I think she has a cold. but she is okay." Maralee gave Spike a half smile, "How are you?"

The question shocked Spike, Maralee had never shown anything except disdain for him and rightly so considering her experience with vampires. "I'm managing. I'm tough." He smiled back at her.

"I just wanted to ask..."

"Maralee." Spike called as she started to close the little door.

"Yes."

"Don't tell her about this..." He pointed towards his legs.

"Okay, I won't." She said as she closed the door. This was not right, none of it.

****

"Anya, I'm sure there is a logical reason why Buffy hasn't called you." Xander tried to calm his girlfriend as he unlocked Buffy's door. Buffy had given him a housekey so he could be Mr. Repairman.

"It doesn't look like she's been here for awhile. The mail is piled up and look...no dirty dishes and look at the answering machine - theres twenty messages there!" Anya hit the message button and she and Xander listened to them playback.

"Okay, first we have to call Dawn, she's left a dozen messages the last few days and she'll be here.....tomorrow. Secondly, we never have to eat at the Doublemeat again, Buffy no longer works there." Xander paused then added in a very serious tone, "Thirdly we have to find her........you don't think she's taken off do you, I mean things have been rough and then she's been mostly alone. She's run off before."

"Xander, she hasn't run off! She showed me her room, she redecorated it. A woman does not redecorate if shes going to leave. And another thing, I think she has enjoyed the time alone." Anya told him as she marched up the stairs to Buffy's room. "See! Totally redcorated, the colors are a bit dark but it looks good. It looks like she went to patrol, she left the weapons chest open."

"I think you're right, Anya, she didn't take off. But that leads me to an even scarier thought." Xander sighed and sat down on the end of the bed.

"What?" Anya asked sitting down beside him.

Xander shook his head and sighed, "That she went out on patrol and never made it home."


	5. Chapter 5

Three days later Buffy's cough was steadily worse, Maralee had brought her extra juice and a box of tissue. Buffy spent her days writing in the tablet Maralee had brought her, keeping a journal of sorts, she also had a paperback romance novel thanks to the other girl. She wrote down her thoughts mainly,

Dawn is home by now, I know she's frantic, I wonder if dad will even let her stay if I wasn't there to meet her. Even if I get out of here, I may have lost my chance to keep Dawn. I'm sorry Dawnie.... I have a terrible cold, the kind that makes you want to curl up and sleep. I hope Spike is okay. Maralee keeps telling me that he is.

Later that day, as James was leading a badly beaten Spike back to his cell he met Maralee bringing Buffy's supper. She opened the door before James had Spike back in the cell

Buffy eagerly went to the small door to look out, she was aching for companionship and Maralee had become her only link to the outside world. She was surprised to see James andSpike outside, Spike was shirtless and his chest was covered in open wounds. "Spike! What have they done to you?" She cried out trying to reach her hand through the bars, trying to touch him.

Spike looked up when he heard her voice, he tried to wrench himself from James' grasp. Maralee gave James a look, and James let the vampire make his way to the front of Buffy's cell. "Oh, Spike." Buffy said tenderly as her fingertips reached through the bars and caressed his bruised face, "I'm sorry." She didn't know what else to say and the anger that rose inside of her just fueled her desperation. Hot tears rolled down her cheek, she was sick and weak and absolutely useless right now.

James and Maralee watched as Spike leaned into Buffy's touch. He closed his eyes briefly, then opened them and smiled at her, "I'm okay, luv. Looks alot worse then it really is."

"Why? Why are they doing this?" Buffy asked him still tenderly stroking his cheek with her fingertips.

"I'm not sure, but you have to do something for me." He tried to smile for her again.

"Anything." She whispered through fresh tears.

"Be strong, okay? No matter what." He placed his his hand over her fingers resting on his cheek and gave them a gentle squeeze.

"Okay." She answered soflty more determined then ever to find a way out of here for both of them.

"That's enough. If he finds you like this we'll all be in trouble." James steered Spike back into his cell.

Maralee put Buffy's food through the small door, Buffy turned on her full of anger. "You lied to me!" She shouted between coughs. "You said he was okay...he's not okay. Someone is hurting him."

"I'm sorry, Buffy. He...Spike asked me not to tell you. I don't think he wanted to worry you." Maralee tried to explain as Buffy paced angrily.

"Maralee, you have to help me........help us. You know this isn't right." Buffy pleaded with the girl in front of her.

"I..I can't my uncle.........I just can't." Maralee began crying softly, "I'm sorry." She turned and ran from the cell.

"Maralee!" Buffy shouted after her, but she was gone. Buffy looked at the plate of food in front of her drugged or not she had to eat, she had gone without food for a couple of days and it seemed to have weakned her even more and now she had this cold. She picked up a biscuit and nibbled on it, her appetite was going and she had to force herself to eat. Perhaps she could work on Maralee some more later, she would tell her some more of her story. She finished the juice and half the biscuit and eggs and lay on the cot.

She closed her eyes and saw Spike's battered body in front of her. Why? Who would do this, she was sure it was Council related - Giles would be so proud of her deducing skills. A) The drug used to weaken her, she was sure it was the same one the council used, B) the captors had Britsih accents - didnt' seem like much but it was yet another small connection to the Council.

Reaching for another tissue, she sat up and opened the notebook, writing down her theory. Now if she could only figure out why the Council wanted her - or Spike?

*****

Spike lay his aching body down on the cot and tried to listen for sounds of Buffy she was quiet tonight aside from the occasional cough he heard nothing. He hoped she was eating, maybe Maralee could get her something for that cold, it sounded like it was getting worse.

***

"Tomorrow school starts, I'm not sure I should go." Dawn told Xander as he fixed her some breakfast.

"You have to go, Dawnie. No one can suspect Buffy is missing." He handed her a plate loaded with pancakes.

"I guess you're right, that was quick thinking on your part telling my dad that Buffy had gone to managerial training in Nevada for the Doublemeat. He was aggravated that she didn't call but I thnk he was happy about her becoming a manager or at least he thinks she is." Dawn sighed, "We have to find her Xander."

"Dawn, if we can we will." Xander sighed.

"You're afraid aren't you? Afraid she's ........gone for good this time." Dawn asked over a bite of pancake.

Xander didn't answer right away, then in a small voice "Of course not."

"It's okay, I know she's alive, I just feel it. We just have to find her." Dawn gave him a half smile.

Xander gave her a hug, "Yeah, we just have to find her."

*****

Buffy lost count of the days that passed over the next couple of weeks. Her cold had turned into bronchitus she was sure of it. Maralee had apologized several times but her uncle wouldn't allow her to bring Buffy any medication. The coughing was worse now and she was waking up at night sometimes feeling like she was choking on the phlegm.

She continued to croak out her story to Maralee though when she felt like it. Today was a good day, she was telling Maralee about Spike being the first one she told about where she had been when she came back. She had never gone into full detail about Dawn being the key, she was afraid for very many people to know that part of the story. She just told her that Spike had tried to save her sister and she had died saving her, she quciky glossed over Willows spell to bring her back.

"He was the only one I felt like I could tell. And he never told anyone, he just listened and tried to comfort me. I think thats where the trouble started. He kept telling me that he loved me, and I just kept denying that he could." Buffy wrung her hands together, "I was wrong.....wrong about a lot of things."

"So he just decided one day that he loved you? But how he's a vampire?" Maralee shook her head.

"I think you can tell he's not your average vampire." Buffy laughed softly, "He said it was because we were working together, something about raomance in the workplace, I shot him down quickly over that. But he was persistent and after everything with Dawn. Well he took care of her and fought with the others while I was....gone.I couldn't explain it, so I just tried to deny it alot." Buffy shrugged her shoulders and coughed loudly. "We'll talk more later, okay?"

Maralee smiled, "Okay, get some rest." She walked away from the cell worried, she wished her uncle would let her give Buffy something for her illness.

Spike smiled to himself as he lay on his cot, ear to the wall, "She said she was wrong about thngs..........alot of things." He smiled at the wall, he didn't think he had would ever hear her admit she was wrong, the smile turned to a worried frown when he heard yet another coughing spell from the next cell.

*****

"I went to see Clem, last night." Dawn told Xander as she sat her book bag down on the table in the Magic Box.

"Has he heard anything?" Xander asked anxiously.

"He had one bit of information, I'm not sure if it connects to Buffy or not." Dawn sat down and leaned her elbows on the table, "He says he thinks Spike came back, he found a bag downstairs in the crypt and it had some clothes and stuff that looked like Spikes. But that was a few weeks ago and he hasn't seen him."

"That would have been about the time Buffy dissappeared! I'll stake him if he's done anything to her - he may have her holed up somewhere doing who knows what!!" Xander pounded his fist on the table.

Dawn jumped at the noise, "Xander..I know what you think you saw, but Buffy talked to me, I'm not sure she feels the same way you do about that night, and well........she was there and you weren't."

"I know what I saw, Dawnie. I can't figure out what kind of hold that bleached vampire has over you ...or your sister." Xander stood up, "I'm going to go ask around, see if anyones seen Spike."

"Xander, I really don't think Spike has hurt Buffy." Dawn started to argue but it fell on deaf ears as Xander stomped his way out of the Magic Box.

"I don't think he would intentionally hurt Buffy either." Anya patted Dawn's shoulder.

*****

Travers laughed out loud as he watched Spike pacing the room, limping from the cuts on his feet. He thought that he had the vampire just about where he wanted him. He would probably tell him anything now. The Slayer was sick, he was sure it was turning into pneumonia. His niece Maralee wanted to take her to a doctor, but he had quickly nixed that idea. It was much easier on him if Buffy Summers just quietly died a natural death from her illness.

It had been a month, and the vampire looked even paler then before if possible and he was very thin, Travers had only been feeding him every other day now. As he chained Spike against the wall he pulled a fireplace poker from a small fireplace against the backwall.

Spike grimaced at the memory of another time, another firepoker - one that he plunged into Angel. He remembered smiling at Angels agony. He cried out when Quentin stuck the first poker in to his chest, he realized that he had tears rolling down his face and they weren't just for his pain but for the memory of the pain he had put Angel through. He wondered how Angel had dealt with the pain of his soul for so long, and suddenly understood why Angel spent so much time brooding, it would be easy to fall into that trap......but he had to fight, he had to concentrate on getting Buffy out of here.

"You know William, there is a way to stop all of this." Travers leaned in only inches from Spike's face. "Let's make a trade, I'll let you go, but Buffy Summers must die."

Spike growled out "Never." He spit directly in Traver's face.

"Okay, we'll play some more then." He smiled at Spike as he picked up another poker. "So you don't want her dead, maybe we can make another deal, I think you have some information about........an incident that happend last year. It involved a key of sorts, Rupert was never clear on all the details, he just said that Buffy died protecting her sister. Why would a demon be that hellbent on killing the slayers sister? I think there is a lot more to the story then we were told. I know the slayer would only die again to protect her sister and Ruper would die to protect his slayer. I warned him about that father's love he has for her. So that leaves you to tell the story."

"I don't know anything." Spike shouted the words as Quentin thrust the hot poker into his midsection.

"I think you do." The poker was thrust deeper with his words.

****

"I can't bear this anymore, James." Maralee leaned against him wrapping her arms around him. Spike's screams had filled her nightmares for several nights now.

"I know, he's out of control. I..I don't know what to do, Maralee." James held her closer dropping a kiss on the top of her head.

"I think maybe my father was right. I don't think it's all black and white, Spike loves Buffy. And I think she feels the same way. She told me about him, they were lovers." Maralee pulled back from him, "What are we going to do?"

"I don't know, I'll think of something." James left her to finish Buffy's supper.

*****

Buffy coughed up another bit of bloody phlegm into the kleenex. She was running a fever now and her chest ached with every cough. Breathing was beginning to be hard and painful. She was sure she wasn't going to make it, she was going to die in this cell. She found her paper and pen and decided she would write a note to Spike, things had to be set right between them.

"Spike,  
I need to tell you something. I forgive you for that night......I forgive you because now I understand how it came to that. I know you didn't come to my house to hurt me, you wanted to make me understand, make me face feelings I didn't want to. Now for the really hard part, I did alot of thinking thissummer and I sorted through a lot of denial in my life. I wanted to blame sleeping with you on me - I wanted to think I was using you because that was so much better then facing that I might have stronger feelings for you - because we all know how Buffy's romances always turn out. I was scared and I'm sorry for that. So here is the big finish........I LOVE YOU. Yes you read that right, I'm sorry you never got to hear me say it. Be strong.  
Love, Buffy

  
She reread the note and folded it neatly, she would give it Maralee when she brought her supper, she was sure that Maralee would deliver it. She was so tired now though, she just wanted to lie down and close her eyes.

Maralee opened the door to the cell and Buffy never stirred. She held her own breath for a moment as she watched Buffy's chest rise and fall, her breaths were hard and it pained Maralee to watch the pale girl on the cot. She left her food and went back to the kitchen, she couldn't do this anymore!

Spike listened to Buffy's labored breathing through the cell wall. She wasn't going to last much longer. He had to do something and he had to do it now.

Maralee opened his food door and he called to her, "Maralee, please tell your Uncle I want to deal."


	6. Chapter 6

"You want to deal?" Maralee asked slightly confused.

"Yes, he wants some information I have. I want him to get Buffy to a hospital and I'll give him what he wants. Tell him and hurry. Please!" He sounded desperate even to himself but he had to get Buffy help.

Maralee hurried to find Quentin. He was in the kitchen, "Uncle Quentin, the vampire wants to talk to you, something about a deal? He'll give you information if you get Buffy to a hospital."

Quentin Travers grinned at his neice, "I knew she would come in handy."

"You'll do it, you'll let her go to the hospital?" Maralee pleaded with her uncle.

"Let's see what William has to say, then I will make my decision about Buffy's fate."

The older man went downstairs to talk to his captive, he was finally going to get what he wanted.

Maralee stood nervously by the door to the basement, she knew better then to follow her uncle yet she wanted to know what was going on down there.

James came in the back door with an arm full of groceries startling her. She jumped and turned to face him. "What's wrong, Maralee?"

"Spike is going to make a deal with Uncle Quentin, he wants Buffy to get to a hospital. I'm not sure what price Spike will have to pay for that." Maralee hung her head, "We should have never been involved in this, if she dies, her blood is on our hands as surely as it is on Uncle Quentin's."

"She won't die, I have a feeling Spike will do anything to prevent that." James sighed as he sat the groceries on the table.

****

"William, my niece gave me your message." Quentin spoke through the small food pass door.

"Yes, you win. I'll talk, but I want Buffy out of here. Take her to a hospital." Spike spoke matter of factly, "That's the deal."

"I believe I can do that William. I'll tell Maralee to get Buffy ready to leave. We'll talk tomorrow." Quentin closed the door and walked back upstairs.

"Well?" Maralee asked as her Uncle entered the kitchen.

"I would like for you to go get Buffy ready to leave. Wrap her blanket around her and help James load her in the van." Quentin walked to the coffee pot and retrieved a mug from the cabinet.

"Thank you, Uncle Quentin." Maralee sighed with relief.

"Maralee," Quentin called after her.

"Yes sir." She answered.

"Tell Buffy that her vampire is dead. His dust is in the cell beside her." Quentin smiled wickedly over the edge of his mug.

Maralee and James' face's both fell, "Why?" They asked in unison.

"Because he was a vampire, do I need more reason then that?"

***

"I can't believe he's gone. Buffy will be so upset." Maralee felt a lump in her throat.

"Maybe it's better this way, the torture will stop now." James sighed as he took Maralee's hand in his and gave it a squeeze. He had grown fond of the vampire and had felt for him everytime Quentin decided to "experiment."

"Buffy, Buffy." Maralee opened the full door to the cell and walked in to the damp room, she kneeled beside the cot. Buffy was pale and her breathing was now very shallow, she placed her hand on to the sick girls forehead, she was burning with fever.

Buffy's eyes opened at the touch on her forehead, "Maralee?"

"Yes, it's me and we are going to get you some help." Maralee began to wrap the blanket tightly around Buffy.

"Help? Spike needs help...Oh...I have something for him.....please give him this." Buffy pulled the note from under the pillow on the cot and handed it to Maralee.

Maralee took the note and handed it to James. He put it in his jacket pocket and helped Maralee with Buffy, she was so light he picked her up without any trouble.

"Spike can go to? Gotta help Spike." Buffy floated in and out of conciousness as James loaded her into the van. Maralee climbed into the back of the van with her. She noticed her uncle talking giving James instructions as he climbed into the van.

"What did he want?" She asked as she wiped Buffy's sweaty brow with a clean rag from the van.

"He says you have to tell her the vampire is dead and he gave me the address to drop her off at." He started the van and pulled out of the driveway.

"The hospital right?"

"No, we are to drop her off at her home, it's actually only a couple of blocks away. Maralee he said to leave her in the yard." James shuddered at the careless way Quentin had phrased his instructions, "Just drop her in the yard."

"Where is Spike?" Buffy asked in a lucid moment as she realized she was no longer in the cell.

"Buffy, he's gone." Maralee replied sadly.

"Gone, he got out too?" A delirious smile crossed Buffy's face as she tried to fight for conciousness.

"No, Buffy, he's dead. I'm so sorry." Maralee bit her lip to keep her own tears from falling.

"No.....he can't be." Buffy argued before losing her fight and sinking back into darkness.

They pulled up to the house on Revello Drive and James opened the van door, the house was dark, he picked Buffy up and walked towards the front porch, there was no way he could leave her lying in the yard. Maralee followed him as he lay his bundle down gently on the front porch, he watched as Maralee rang the doorbell, they both ran back to the van and left hoping she would be okay.

"We are leaving as soon as we can." James told her , steely determination in his voice.

"Good, I can't stay with that man for a moment longer then I have to, family or not." She replied as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

******

Travers was a happy man, he was going to get to the bottom of what happened last summer. He was going to find out the big secret that Rupert Giles was so intent to keep from him. And in the end he had been the one to undo that rebellious slayer, he had no problem letting Buffy go, he was sure she was so far gone that she would never survive the night. And this time.....this time it wasn't a magical death, she wouldn't be coming back.

James and Maralee made their plans to escape as they drove home, if all went well they would be out of the house in a couple of days.

Her uncle was waiting in the kitchen for them, "Did you get her delivered?"

"Yes sir." James nodded.

"Did you deliver the message?" He directed this towards Maralee.

"Yes, I did, she knows. Now I"m going to bed. Goodnight."

Quentin watched as his neice left the room, "James come with me."

James followed him down to the cell, Quentin unlocked the cell door to show Spike sleeping fitfully. He woke up and stared at the open door, "Did you get her to the hospital?" Spike asked sitting up.

"Yes, we got her out of here and to help. I'll be back to finish your part of the deal in the morning." Quentin nodded to James, "Could you gather up those mugs and double check the locks."

"Yes sir." James watched that Quentin was gone before he fished the note from his coat pocket. "This is for you, from Buffy." He handed the note to Spike and gathered up the used mugs, locking the door behind him he left Spike to read his note.

Spike sat on the cot staring at the folded paper as if it might bite him. Finally he gently unfolded it as if he were unwrapping a special gift. He began to read it slowy savoring the feminine curve of her handwriting, the way she wrote his name, he smiled as he read the words "I forgive you", the sweetest words he had ever read, until the next paragraph when he read the "I LOVE YOU" If he had a working heart it would have skipped several beats, he had to smile at the next line she must have known he would have to reread that line over and over. He folded his treasure and put it under his pillow. With this kind of armor he could face any thing Travers through at him in the mornig. She loves me,,,,she loves me. Those were the his last thoughts as he fell asleep.

""""

"The doorbell, Xander." Anya nudged him, they were still staying with Dawn, until the Buffy situation could be solved. To be honest they were sure Buffy wasn't coming back but they didn't want to tell Dawn they had given up hope.

"I'll get it." He threw on a pair of sweatpants and groggily went down the steps bumping into Dawn in the foyer.

"Who would be here at this time of morning?" She asked yawning as Xander cautioulsy opened the front door. "Dawn!!! Call 911 now."

"What is it?" Dawn tried to get out the door.

"It's Buffy, Dawn. Go call now." Xander knelt beside Buffy on the front porch. He was afraid to move her. She was very pale and her breathing was irregular, she was trying to cough but didn't seem to have the energy.

Dawn made the call and joined Xander on the porch. "Is she okay?" Dawn took Buffy's hand in hers it was hot, she was burning up and making funny noises when she breathed.

Anya heard the siren and came downstairs, "Buffy? Whats wrong with her?"

"I don't know Anya, she's sick, very sick. Lets let the paramedics do their job." He moved back while the paramedics knelt next to Buffy asking questions that Xander tried to answer.

They put an oxygen mask on her pale face and started an iv before taking her to the hospital. Xander, Anya and Dawn quickly dressed and followed the ambulance.

****

The ER was surprisingly empty for a Sunnydale hospital. Xander had gone to call Giles and let him know Buffy had been found, the watcher had been in constant contact since her dissappearance, but his mother was ill and he couldn't leave her. Anya and Dawn sat in the waiting room on a small couch, Dawn curled up close to Anya.

"Buffy is very strong, whatever is wrong she'll fight it." Anya tried to be comforting.

"Giles wants me to call back when we know something." Xander told them as he sat down across from them.

"I need to talk to who ever found Ms. Summers." The doctor walked into the waiting room.

"That would be me, " Xander stood, "What do you need to know?"

The doctor seemed almost angry, "I want to know why that poor girl was left so long in this condition! She has pneumonia, a severe case, I think she'll be okay if the antibiotics can do thier job. I want to know how this happened though."

"Well, I was working out of town and her sister," Xander pointed at Dawn was visiting her Dad in LA."

"My girlfriend stayed here and the last time she saw Buffy she said something about taking a vacation maybe hiking in the woods. She wanted to spend some time alone. We were beginning to worry, when she showed up last night, I can only guess she got sick and then got to weak to get back home." The lie rolled off Xander's tongue naturally.

"I guess we'll know more when she regains conciousness. Would you like to see her?" The doctor asked as he motioned for them to follow him Buffy's room.

Buffy lie on the hospital bed with an IV in her arm, under a plastic oxygen tent. She looked like she had been through the wringer, her hair lay damp against he forehead and she was very pale.

"We've cleaned her up and she is being rehydrated with the IV and also recieving some strong antibiotics intraveneoulsy. We have her under the oxygen tent to help her breathing. As I said before I think she will be okay, but this first twenty-four hours is critical, the fever needs to come down and the antibiotics have to start killing the infection. We'll know more by tomorrow. You can stay a few minutes in the room but then I have to ask you to leave. She needs her rest." The doctor nodded his head at them and left the room.

"She looks so small." Dawn went to stand closer to her sister's side, tears filled her eyes."What do you think happened?"

"I don't know, Dawn. But she's going to be okay, don't worry." Xander looked at his friend lying so still under the plastic tent. He was going to find out who or what was responsible for this.

"It's time for you to go now." A nurse popped her head in the door.

"Bye, Buffy. We'll be back." Dawn blew her sister a kiss as Anya and Xander led her out of the room, "I don't want to leave the hospital." She told them as they found another waiting room.

"We'll stay with you." Anya told her as they found a fold out chair for Dawn to get comfortbable in.

Xander went to call Giles with the Doctor's report.

*****

Buffy's head was filled with strange dreams, Spike was back and he wanted to tell her something important but they kept getting interuppted and then she beat Spike up. No, no....Buffy didn't do that.....no someone else beat him up this time, they had cut his chest. Spike was telling her "I went to Africa" And then someone put her in a van, she was sick.....it hurt to breathe. Then something bad, the girl told her something bad.

Buffy's eyes jerked open and she panicked as she realized she was inside of a plastic tent thingie, her chest still hurt but the breathing was a little easier, her hand had an iv in it, she looked around the room - she was in a hospital. She sighed with relief she was safe. Her relief soon turned to grief as she realized what Maralee had told her before she passed out. Spike was dead. He was really gone, how ironic she thought she was the one who was going to die when she wrote him the note confessing her love. Now he was gone, tears rolled down her cheeks as she wondered if he had received the note, if he had died knowing she loved him.

"Your awake. Good. I'll tell the doctor." The nurse took Buffy's temperature and blood pressure, "Don't be upset, crying isn't good for you in the shape your in, your safe now."

"How do you feel, Buffy?" The doctor asked as he read her chart, "Your temperature is down some already that's good news."

The doctor lifted the tent so Buffy could hear him better, "Your friends found you on your porch unconcious, you have pneumonia, thats why your in the tent, it helps you breath easier and we are giving you fluids and antibiotics, I'd like to know how you let yourself get this sick. Do you remember anything?"

Buffy shook her head tears still falling, " I feel a little better, but I'm sorry I don't remember anything. My friends.....can I see them?"

"Yes, but you need to calm down, stress isn't good for you right now." The doctor patted her arm and put the tent back down.

"You have fifteen minutes and if she gets upset you must leave. She's been through too much." Doctor Grant warned them as he let Dawn and the others in.

"Buffy!" Dawn cried out as the doctor lifted the tent again and then left the room. She rushed to the bedside, "I want to hug you, but I don't want to hurt you." She settled for holding Buffy's hand tightly in hers.

"I'm sorry I worried you." Buffy tried to smile but her heart wasn't in it.

"Buffy, I don't want to push but can you tell us where you were?" Xander asked from the other side of the bed.

" It started when Spike ....." She stopped midsentence to cough, but before she could start talking again, Xander cut her off.

"Spike! I knew he had something to do with this. I'll kill him." Xander balled his fists at his side.

"Spike didn't do this.. he was caught with me.." Buffy's eyes filled with tears again, "And you can't kill him....." Her voice dropped to an almost whisper as she choked out the words, "Whoever was holding us has already done that." Buffy's breathing became labored again as she fought her sobs.

"You have to leave now." A nurse told them when she came to check on Buffy, "You can come back tomorrow when she's calm." The nurse settled Buffy back under the oxygen tent and checked her pulse.

"Buffy .....I..I'm sorry." Xander told her as the nurse shooed them out of the room.

"You okay, Dawn?" Anya asked as they walked back to the waiting room.

Dawn shook her head as she sat down, "I can't believe he's dead."

Dr. Grant came in and gave Buffy an injection to calm her and help her sleep. She fell asleep remembering Spike's words to her,,,,"Be strong." I'm trying Spike, I really am."


	7. Chapter 7

Dawn woke early tne next morning, her legs were cramping from the positition she was in on the small couch in the waiting room. Xander had one arm around her as he slept, Anya was across from them curled up in a chair. She was still sleeping too. Dawn slipped away from Xander and found her way to Buffy's room.

She peeped in the door and found Buffy alone still sleeping. She went to stand by her bed, reaching under the plastic tent and carefully taking Buffy's hand in hers. She had never seen Buffy look so vulnerable in her entire life, except .....well she didn't want to think about that tower ever again. Buffy was back and she was going to be better. Dawn wondered if Spike had helped Buffy get free before he died, she was well aware of everything that had gone on between her sister and the vampire and she knew there was a lot of feelings on both parts there, she felt a tear roll down her cheek, for Buffy, for Spike. Dawn was going to miss him, no more stories, no more Niblet.

Buffy stirred and opened her eyes, she coughed several times before she turned to Dawn, "Hey." She said softly moving the plastic so she could talk better.

"Hey you. How are you feeling this morning, you were kind of out of it last night." Dawn pushed Buffy's hair away from her face.

"I feel better. Doctor Grant says it will be a few days, but I'll be okay. This cough may hang around awhile, but my fever is going down steadily and my chest isn't hurting as much and oh yeah, that breathing thing is easier too." Buffy squeezed her sister's hand, "It's so good to see you. I was afraid I was never going to see you again."

"Me too. But I kept telling everyone that I knew you were alive somewhere, I could just feel it." Dawn grinned at Buffy, then softly asked, "Was it very bad?"

Buffy coughed again and reached for the tissues beside her bed. "It was bad, but Spike well he kind of helped, knowing he was there too." Buffy got very quiet, then added, "Yeah, it was bad."

"But you're here now. Maybe its too soon to talk about this, but maybe we, just you and me could do something for Spike, I mean maybe we could just go to that little place he showed us out in the woods behind his crypt, where the moon shines through the trees and makes it look like a fairyland at night, maybe we could go have a moonlight picnic in his honor. Just you and me." Dawn forced a small smile.

"Yeah, maybe. That would be nice, I think he would like it." Buffy smiled at Dawn through tears, "You can cry if you want Dawn, he was your friend."

Dawn nodded as tears ran down her cheeks, "I'm gonna miss him, and I feel bad that he died without knowing that I cared."

"He knew, Dawn." Buffy gave her sister a genuine smile, "Where are all the others?"

"Still sleeping down the hall." Dawn answered as the nurse brought in a breakfast tray for Buffy.

"I wonder if these eggs are as good as Maralee's." Buffy said aloud as she picked up her fork.

'"Maralee?" Dawn asked from her chair.

"Yeah, she fed me while I was captive and listened to me, I could tell she didn't like what was happening, but I think she was scared to do anything about it. In the end she and James are the ones who brought me home, I do remember that much." Buffy explained between bites.

****

"I'm packed, we can leave tonight, after he goes to bed." Maralee told James as she poured him a cup of coffee.

"Maralee, we have a problem." James sipped the hot coffee.

"What is it?" She asked worry lines creasing her forehead.

"Spike isn't dead. Quentin lied to us. After you went to bed, he took me back down to the basement. Spike is still there. I only know bits and pieces of what your Uncle wants from him but it doesn't sound good, I'm afraid he'll end up hurting more people. " James took a deep breath and sat down the cup.

"What are we going to do then?"

"I don't know, I guess we'll just have to wait and see. I'm sorry." James stood and pulled her close to him in a tight hug.

"Don't be sorry, Spike's alive, we don't have his death on our hands." Maralee sighed.

"Not yet." James replied wearily.

***

Quentin Travers wondered about the whispers between his neice and James. They were naive enough to think that he didn't notice there relationship, stupid young people. After they were done in Sunnydale, Maralee could run away with James for all he cared. They had served there purpose, just as Spike would soon serve his. Travers was a cruel man, he had let Spike wait all day before he went down to the basement prison to confront him about 'the key'.

"Are you ready to talk now, William?" Quentin asked as he walked into the cell. Spike was standing in the corner of the room as Quentin pointed the tranquilizer gun at him, "Let me put these on you so you dont' get any ideas." He quickly cuffed Spike's wrists and ankles yet again.

Spike looked defeated on the outside, but inside he was stronger then ever, he wouldn't let Buffy down, she loved him. He would die keeping her secret, he would die gladly for the woman who loved him.

Travers stood in front of him, glaring down at him, "So tell me the real story of what happened at that tower in Sunnydale."

"That Glory bint kidnapped Dawn and we tried to save her, Buffy died doing it. That's the story." Spike smirked at Travers.

Travers backhanded Spike across the face, sending his head pounding against the wall. "Let's try again."

Spike straightened up and smiled at his jailer, "We were having a picnic up there and this Glory chic interrupted it?"

Travers hit him hard again.

"We had a deal!!! I let that miserable excuse for a slayer go! Tell me what happened." Travers punched him hard in the face again, Spike's eye's began to swell almost closed.

"I would think a man of your knowledge would know you don't make deals with vampires." Spike slurred at him through the blood running out of his mouth.

"I'll be back." Quentin warned him as he left he cell.

For two days this went on, Travers beat him and Spike smirked at him. He wore each bruise with pride, he was keeping Buffy and the Niblet safe, he was keeping his promise just like he said he would.

On the third day, Travers had enough, he ate his supper with Maralee and James then stood up from the table and made an announcement, "You two may go back to England, wherever you want, I don't need you here anymore." He opened the basement door to go down.

"What is he going to do?" Maralee asked fear creeping into her voice.

"I don't know, but it can't be good. He hasn't allowed me down there for a couple of days. I think it's time for me to quit being a coward and face him." James stood up and went to the basement door.

"Be careful." Maralee called after him.

***

After a few days in the hospital, and no drugs to weaken her, Buffy's healing kicked in, she was feeling much better, no fever and only a small cough now. The oxygen tent was gone and the Doctor had told her she could go home the next day.

"Okay, it's time for Dawn to go home. She's got school tomorrow." Buffy instructed Xander as Dawn rolled her eyes at her big sister. "It's already late and I'll be home tomorrow."

"Okay, okay." Dawn rolled her eyes again as she hugged Buffy. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye Buffy. I'll be here to pick you up tomorrow." Xander kissed her cheek and left the room.

***

Spike tried to stand when he heard Quentin enter the cell again but he had no strength left.

"Have you decided to cooperate now?" He asked as he lay the tranquilizer gun next to the cell door.

"I'm never going to cooperate with you." Spike sighed as he tried to get comfortable for another round of punishment, the last time Travers had been there he had left the ankle and wrist restraints on him.

"Then it's over." Quentin pulled a stake from his pocket and raised it.

James crept quietly to the cell door, he quickly realized what was happening and without a second thought picked up the gun from the floor. His aim was true as Quentin Travers fell to the floor, the stake still in his hand, a dart stuck firmly in the back of his neck.

"James?" Spike asked squinting through his swollen eyes.

"Yes it's me. Let's go." He searched Quentin's unconcious form for the keys to the restraints and quickly let Spike free. He locked the other man in the cell and helped Spike out of the cell.

"Wait I need somethng." Spike limped towards the cell that had been Buffy's prison. He grabbed the duster from the cot and followed James up the steps to the kitchen.

"Oh....." Was all Maralee could say when she saw the state of Spike. He was battered from head to foot.

"I'm making a phone call and we are out of here." James told her as he helped Spike sit down at the table, "Give him some blood."

Maralee got blood from the refrigerator and handed it to Spike, she turned her head as he began to gulp it down, she couldn't remember the last time her uncle had allowed her to take food to Spike.

James made his call and turned to Maralee, "Your uncle is in the cell downstairs, he's alive. I've called the Council and told them what was going on. Did you know that they weren't even aware of what was going on? Travers had told them he was going on vacation and taking us with him. They'll be here to take care of him - but we won't be here to greet them."

"Let me get my things." Maralee ran to her bedroom, she grabbed her bags and also a large blanket she thought it might come in handy.

"What about me?" Spike asked as he finished his blood.

"We are taking you the same place we took Buffy." James answered as they walked to the garage and got in the van.

"The hospital?"

"No, we didnt' take her there." Maralee looked ashamed, "We took her home, but they took her to the hospital because I called to check to see if she had been admitted."

"We'll take you to her house." James told him as he started the van.

"I'm not sure anyone there will be happy to see me." Spike sighed as he took the blanket Maralee offered him.

"I think you're wrong. I'm so sorry for the part we played in this. Can you forgive me?" Maralee asked as they pulled outside Buffy's house.

"You're asking a vampire for forgiveness?" Spike looked surprised.

"Yes, I am. My father was right, it's not all black and white. I see that now. You find Buffy, you tell her that you love her." Maralee smiled at him as James got out and opened the back door for him.

"Thank you." It didn't seem like enough but Spike was too overwhelmed to say anything else.

"Goodbye and good luck." James told him as got back into the van and drove off.

Spike was left on the front lawn staring at the dark house, everyone inside was probably sound asleep. He walked to the front door and raised a tired hand to ring the bell, he was clutching the duster to him like his life depended on it. Buffy had thought enough of it to keep it and wear it and he was gong to give it back to her, it belonged to her now.

Dawn was in the kitchen mixing cereal again she was too excited about Buffy coming home to sleep much. She thought she heard a car stop and the start again out front. She walked to the front door and looked out the peep hole, her heart jumped in her throat as she opened the door. "Spike! You're alive!" She pulled him inside and hugged him tightly.

Spike groaned at the pain from the hug but he held on to her anyway it was worth the pain, to have her happy to see him. "Yeah, it's me Niblet. Where is Buffy?"

Dawn pulled back from him, "She's not here, Spike."

Spike misunderstood Dawn's meaning, "But you got her to the hospital, right? They told me she was in the hospital."

"She is Spike, she's fine. Calm down, she'll be home tomorrow." Dawn smiled at him, "Looks like you should be in a hospital." She helped him to the couch.

"I'll be okay." He settled on to the couch, he was so tired, "She's really okay?" He asked drowsily.

"Yes she's really okay. She's going to be so happy to see you!" Dawn leaned over and hugged him again.

"You really think so?" Spike felt for the note in his back pocket and smiled. Now he could finally tell her his news.....and it was even better because she had admitted she loved him before she knew about his soul.


	8. Chapter 8

Dawn sat smiling at Spike for several moments, "You need to go stay in Buffy's room. Anya will leave early tomorrow for the Magic Box. And Xander is at his place tongiht, he is going to pick Buffy up in the morning, but she's insisted that he go to work after he drops her off. I'll be at school and you and Buffy can talk uninterrupted." Dawn grinned at her plan, "It's perfect."

"I'm just so glad she's okay, I need to talk to her. I have so much to tell her." Spike stood up groaning, every muscle hurt, "I guess I'll go on up to Buffy's room."

"Oh, Spike! I forgot! Buffy thinks your dead. They told her you were." Dawn followed him up to Buffy's room, "But don't worry, I'll take care of it. I'm so glad you're back." She gave him a small hug and went back to her bedroom.

Spike walked into Buffy's dark room and didn't even bother to turn on the light. He dropped the duster to the floor and then lay gently on the bed. It smelled like her, he buried his nose in the pillow and was soon asleep.

_She entered the room quietly. He opened one eye to see her smiling at him._

_"Buffy." He said her name soflty, she was there in front of him._

_"It's me." She moved closer to him._

_"I've got to talk to you, something important." He sat up and reached for her hand._

_Suddenly Quentin Traver's appeared in the corner of the room. "It doesn't matter, your news, your soul, in the end it doesn't matter. Why should she ever love someone like you?"_

_"No, she loves me." Spike pulled the note from his pocket, "She wrote it! She loves me."_

_"A note written by a sick delirious girl? You are going to take that as her declaration of love. My boy, she didn't have a clue what she was writing. When she comes to her senses....she'll leave you... alone.... again." Quentin laughed long and hard._

_"Tell him Buffy, tell him." Spike turned to see Buffy pulling away from him, fading away from him._

"No!" Spike sat up in Buffy's bed. He looked around, he was still in her room. It had been a dream, a very bad dream. He stood and pulled the note from his pocket, he turned on the lamp and read it through once more. She loved him it was right there in black and white, she knew what she wrote, didn't she?

***

Dawn peeked in the door of Buffy's room and saw Spike sleeping curled up on her sister's bed, he had a piece of paper balled in his hand. She wondered what it was as she taped the note with Buffy's name on it to her bedroom door. The note read simply, Buffy - big surprise in your room. Hope you are as happy about it as I am. love, Dawn.

That should do it. Dawn told herself as Anya called for her, she was going to drop Dawn off at school on her way to the Magic Box.

**

"Okay, here we are." Xander helped Buffy into the living room, 'You sure you don't want me to stay?"

Buffy shook her head at him, "No, you've missed enough work because of me. I'll see you later."

"Alright, if you need me you have my work number, don't forget your medicine." He handed her a pill bottle and hugged her as he left, "I'm glad you're home."

"Me too." Buffy said aloud as she started up the stairs, she stopped and grinned at the note taped to her door. What in the world had Dawn done now? She opened her bedroom door and her mouth dropped wide open - Spike - an undusty Spike was asleep on her bed. His face and chest were covered with bruises and cuts in various stages of healing. In his hand was a piece of paper crumpled from many readings, it was her note.

She watched him for several minutes, closing her eyes then opening them again just to make sure she wasn't seeing things. Then she felt her forehead, no fever there. Her stomach twisted in delicious nervous knot - he was really here!

Slowly she walked towards her bed, gently she reached out her hand and stroked his forehead. He moved a little and opened his eyes slightly, a smile crossed his lips and he opened his eyes fully. "Buffy?" He asked happily.

"It's me." She replied in a sing song voice, smiling broadly at him.

"I thought you might not make it, I was so scared for you." He sat up ignoring the aches and pains.

"I thought you didn't." She whispered her voice thick with emotion.

He put his hand out to her and she sat down beside him, he pulled her close to his chest, her soft hair tickling him despite the bruises. "Dawn told me, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything. Quentin Travers is a dead man if I ever find him."

"Quentin Travers? That's who was behind all of this?" Buffy pulled away to look up at Spike.

"That's who he said he was, he wanted me to tell him all about the key, he knew more happened then what Gile's told the Council." Spike stroked Buffy's hair, "I didn't tell him anything though."

"I knew you didn't." Buffy said softly, "You would never let anyone hurt Dawn, you're good at keeping your promises."

"So tell me exactly what happened after they took you away from me? I could hear you through the wall, pacing and talking to Maralee and then coughing all the time. I was so afraid for you." Spike kissed the top of her head.

"I was afraid I was going to die in that cell, thats when I wrote the note." Buffy nodded at the folded paper lying on the bed. "I see you got it." She smiled shyly at him.

"James gave it to me after he and Maralee helped you out." Spike sighed as he remembered his earlier dream, "That note helped me stand up to Travers. But I realize that you were very sick when you wrote it, desperate even and if you really didn't mean it, I won't hold you to it."

Buffy frowned at him as she pulled away and sat up next to him on the bed, "You think I didn't mean it?"

"I'm not sure, I just don't want to force you.......those are definitely the wrong words," Spike slid off of the bed and stood up, "I don't want you to feel like you have to honor those words now, if you don't really want to."

She stood and her frown softened now, "I meant what I said in that note. Don't you ever think that I didn't." She leaned towards him and brushed the softest of kisses against his swollen lips, "I love you, Spike." She whispered the words against his lips as she deepened the kiss.

It was Spike's turn to be speechless, he returned her kisses for several moments before she pulled away laughing softly, 'I've only started breathing good again, I need some air."

He smiled at her twisting a lock of hair between his thumb and forefinger, "I love you too."

"Now that we have that settled, what was the important news you had for me? What happened in Africa?" She led him back to sit on the bed again.

Spike laughed, "It doesn't seem quite as important now, " He nuzzled the side of her face with his cheek, "I hope it will make you happy though, I went to Africa to earn my soul...for you."

Buffy's eye's widened, "You have a soul? How?" Her smile was so warming he was unsure of how he had ever survived without it.

After another hour of being curled up together in Buffy's bed, he had explained the whole Africa trip.

"So you went through all of that torture for me?" She asked as she raised his hand to her lips and kissed it softly.

"For you and for me, to make me the kind of man you deserve." Spike leaned over and kissed her cheek.

"Buffy!" Xander called as he walked down the hallway to her bedroom, '"You in here? I came to check on you on my lunch hour" He stood in the doorway, his mood turned sour, "I thought he was dead!"

"So did I, but he wasn't! It's a very long story. Have a seat and we'll explain." Buffy motioned towards Xander to sit at the foot of the bed.

The first thing Xander noticed was that she was holding Spike's hand and she wasn't letting go go it. "Okay, start explaining."

After Buffy finished the story, Xander seemed more angry then before, "So you're telling me that he comes back in to town and because the Quentin Travers wants Spike, you end up kidnapped and almost dying? If ever there is a better reason to stay away from him, I don't what it is." Xander stood up from the bed, "What kind of hold do you have over women, Spike? I'd really like to know."

Before Spike could answer, Buffy stood up too, "Xander, Spike is the reason I'm alive now. And he's took care of me on patrol countless times, he's helped us all. It's time to accept him." Buffy pleaded with her friend.

"Buffy, I'll give him credit for having been helpful at times, but like I told you before, you can never forget what he is! He's a evil, souless monster who just happens to want you." Xander turned to walk from the bedroom.

"You're wrong, Xander. He's not a monster and more importantly, he has a soul now." Buffy reached over and took hold of Spike's hand once more.

Xander stopped dead in his tracks, "What did you say?"

"He has his soul back." Buffy repeated.

"And you believe that?" Xander rolled his eyes.

"Yes, I do. And you better start believing it too. Do you love me Xander? Do you want me happy?" Buffy's voice rose slightly.

"Yes, you know I want you happy." Xander replied sullenly.

"Then you better get used to Spike, because he is what makes me happy. Can you do that for me, please?" Her voice softened and she gave Xander her famous half smile.

Xander looked between the battered vampire on the bed and back to Buffy, he realized she was serious, and she was indeed happy, he walked towards her and hugged her to him, "I'll try. I can't promise anything though."

She smiled at him, "I can't ask for more then that."

"I've got to get back to work, you going to be okay?" Xander cut his eyes towards Spike.

"I'll be fine. I'll talk to you later?" Buffy rolled her eyes at him.

"Yes, you'll talk to me later." Xander called back over his shoulder as he left the room, "And take your medicine!"

"This isn't gonna be easy is it?" Spike asked as she settled back next to him on the bed.

"Nothing worth having is ever easy." She closed her eyes and drifted to sleep, Spike's strong arms around her.


	9. Chapter 9

ONE YEAR LATER

The package fell through the mail slot into the floor with a thud. Spike got up from his spot on the couch to see what the noise was, he bent down and picked up the package, it was wrapped in plain brown paper and addressed to Buffy Summers and Spike. Well that was different. no one ever sent them mail together, there was no return address. It wasn't very heavy, felt like a book maybe. Curious as to what it could be, he took it upstairs to show to Buffy.

He opened the door to thier bedroom, that sounded really good, 'their bedroom'. He smiled as he walked into the room, still dark despite the sunshine due to the dark curtains. He had teased her about those curtains, "Why did you go with such dark ones, luv? Did you know I was coming back?" She'd thrown a pillow at him and then thrown him on the bed, devouring his mouth with hers, touching him everywhere and in every way. That had been a week after they had found their way back to each other again, the first time they had actually 'made love' mutually.

Buffy was asleep on the bed, her head covered with the pillow, she had stayed out late last night at Anya's second bachelorette party, she and Xander were really going to go through with it this time. This time a quiet small wedding had been planned for next week. He had no idea what they had done but he knew it involved alcohol consumption, which never worked out well for Buffy. He sat down beside her on the bed and shook he shoulder, soflty calling her name, "Buffy, wake up sleepy head!"

"Hmmmmm..., I love you Spike, but I really do have a massive headache this morning." She growled from under the pillow.

Spike laughed, "So it's come to that has it, headaches?"

"What do you want?" Buffy pulled the pillow off of her head trying to sound grumpy but her smile spoiled the effect.

"You know what I want." He arched his eyebrows at her and grinned as he kissed her.

She returned the kiss eagerly, "Always."

She pouted when he pulled away from her, "We got this in the mail?" He held up the package.

"Who is it from?" Buffy asked taking the package from him.

"Dunno, no return address. Thought you might want to open it."

"So if it's a bomb, I get it first?" She cut her eyes at him.

"It's not ticking, I checked." He grinned at her, "But I can open it if you want."

"It looks safe, but I don't recognize the handwriting. Aha, it's postmarked New York City." She shook the package for good measure before she unwrapped it. "It's a book."

A note was stuck to the front of the book , _Please open and read the first page_." She opened the book to and began to read aloud,

Above the dedication, was a note written in script,

Buffy and Spike,  
Somehow, I know you two are together now. Buffy, I took yours and Spike's story and I wrote this book. Not to worry, there is not one slayer or vampire in the book, I wrote about two rivals in the business world who suffer through a lot before they get their happy ending. Read the dedication below, it's for you.  
Wishing you much happiness, Maralee.

  
Spike put his arm around Buffy as she read down the page to the dedication, she began to read aloud again,

_This book is dedicated to two very special people - they know who they are.. It's a story of opposites, violence, betrayal, desperation, reconciliation and most importantly the power of love. I call it a Tale of Two Hearts._

She lay the book down on her bedside table and turned to Spike, they spent rest of the afternoon together, two hearts together as one.

The End


End file.
